Carnegie Mellon University Survey Insights: Why Boards of Directors Don't Get it

Interview with Jody Westby, Adjunct Distinguished Fellow at CyLab and CEO at Global Cyber Risk At a time when risks are high and consumer confidence is low, corporate boards of directors aren't paying nearly enough attention to information security and cyber threats. This is the key takeaway from a new Carnegie Mellon University CyLab survey, which shows that there is a "gaping hole as wide as the Grand Canyon" in board and senior executive oversight of these critical business issues. Read more about this survey in an article by Linda McGlasson. To understand this study, we spoke with its author, Jody Westby, Adjunct Distinguished Fellow at CyLab and CEO at Global Cyber Risk. In an exclusive interview, she discusses: Key findings; Greatest concerns from the study; Recommendations for what financial institutions should do now to address these concerns. Jody Westby received her B.A., summa cum laude, University of Tulsa; J.D., magna cum laude, Georgetown University Law Center; Order of the Coif. Drawing upon a unique combination of more than 20 years of technical, legal, policy, and business experience, Jody Westby brings a seasoned, multidisciplinary perspective to the many issues facing businesses and governments today in the areas of privacy, information security, outsourcing/offshoring risks, cybercrime, and IT business risk management. She regularly consults with governments, private sector executives, and operational personnel on the development of enterprise security programs that dovetail the technical, legal, operational, and managerial considerations. Prior to forming Global Cyber Risk, Ms. Westby served as senior managing director for PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), specializing in outsourcing and cyber security/privacy issues. Before that, she was president of The Work-IT Group, launched an IT solutions company for the CIA, managed the domestic policy department for the world's largest business organization, was senior fellow and director of information technology (IT) studies for one of the nation's leading think tanks, practiced law with two top-tier New York firms, and spent 10 years in the computer industry specializing in database management systems.